The Importance of Healthy Eating in Schools

From the Head of Early Years Dionne Zantua

Do you know someone who has Hypertension? Diabetes? Arthritis?  The majority of these illnesses are preventable simply by altering the food that we eat over the course of our life. Genetics also plays a role, but many debilitating illnesses can be kept to a minimum with a healthy diet. Children in Year 1 have learnt that our food choices can have a lasting impact on our overall health through their topic, ‘We are what we eat’.  And as a follow up on our previous article on healthy eating, this week’s article will dig deeper into the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle with practical tips parents can implement at home. With the year 2019 almost coming to an end, the unfolding of the new year affords a chance to start something new.  Many of us make our ‘New Year’s resolution’ in our aspiration to become healthier and what better way to do so than in making healthy choices for ourselves and our families.

From Reception Teacher Leith Padfield

Having a healthy diet and nutrition improves child well-being and learning ability, leading to better academic performance, with evidence showing positive links between children who are well-nourished and improved learning, attendance, behaviour and consequently child-teacher relationships. Further, good nutrition also fosters mental, social and physical well-being, contributing to increased self-esteem and positive body image. At Wellington College Tianjin, we believe that having a healthy lifestyle for our children is a crucial part of education at school and in the home life. Nutrition, sleep and physical activity should become an integral part of everyday life habits. We try to create an environment where our children will be surrounded by positive influences and role modelling by teachers, staff and older children in the school.

Educating our children to have a healthy lifestyle is an important area of learning at Wellington Tianjin, and making healthy choices for children’s breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks is central to that ethos. 

By simply drinking water each day and being hydrated, studies have shown that children will feel more energised, focused, alert and are much less irritable, tired, moody and stressed. By cutting out drinks such as sugary soft drinks, for example cordial, fizzy drinks, soda and juice, you are enabling your child to become a better learner by being more focused, have better concentration and allowing their brain to work.

To promote healthy habits, children should be encouraged to enjoy a variety of nutritious food from the 5-food groups, this will help growing children up make positive and good food choices as they go through life. As a parent, caregiver or educator we must provide our children with a wholesome breakfast, good lunch and dinner with many healthy snacks. 

 

Some suggestions for making good choices by using the 5 healthy food groups include:

Overall, we all know that it is not always easy to make healthy food choices however good role modelling and through making simple changes, such as stocking the food cupboards with healthy snacks, encouraging your children to drink lots of water and serving milk with dinner or yoghurt with breakfast will not only help teach healthy habits but also improve academic performance.

If you like to learn more about the benefits of healthy eating for your children, some links to useful information can be found below: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Health and Academic Achievement https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academic-achievement.pdf   St John Fisher College: Student Nutrition and Academic Achievement https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1095&context=mathcs_etd_masters   Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA): Eat smart - How to improve academic performance https://ccaeducate.me/news-events/blog/blog-post/17/eat-smart-how-to-improve-academic-performance   SF Gate Healthy Eating: Healthy Vs. Unhealthy Food in Student Performance https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy-vs-unhealthy-food-student-performance-2405.html   Momentous Institute: The Link Between Healthy Food And Academic Performance https://momentousinstitute.org/blog/link-healthy-food-academic-performance   Health Promotion Journal of Australia: Nutrition education in the Australian New South Wales primary school curriculum https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.188 MEET THE MASTER AND BURSAR Duke of York’s Room 1400hrs-1500hrs, Thursday 12th December   This week’s Meet the Master and Bursar slot is open to parents of pupils in all year groups. If you would like to attend, please confirm via email with Ms Emma Shi (emma.shi@wellingtoncollege.cn) by Wednesday 11th December. NEST PARENT BRIEFING: PARENTING YOUNG CHILDREN Common Room 0900hrs - 1015hrs, Wednesday 11th December   Every other Wednesday morning from 0900hrs-1015hrs, parents will have the chance to engage with the school in sessions that cover all aspects of your child’s education, from the Early Years to A-Levels and university admissions. For this week's meeting, Mrs Melissa Meyers, the Deputy Head of the Junior School, will provide an opportunity for parents of NEST children to gain some further insight as to how they can best support their child/children in their development and learning. The session will cover stages of development, ideas of how to foster independence and why nurturing a growth mindset matters. There will also be time for questions after the session. It starts at 0900hrs in the Common Room. FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND ADMISSIONS Charity Christmas Bazaar Dining Hall 1500hrs-1700hrs, Friday 13th December   Christmas is fast approaching, and I am delighted that once again we are hosting an annual charity Christmas Bazaar. The bazaar will be on Friday, December 13th (1500hrs-1700hrs). The theme is the ‘Season of Giving’, to tie in with the broader messages of the Christmas season. Proceeds from the Bazaar will go to those charity organizations we have been supporting across the school. FROM MR FORSTER, MP 1 COORDINATOR Year 1 Exit Point Classrooms 0930hrs - 1030hrs, Friday 13th December   We have been learning all about ‘Buildings’ and ‘Healthy Eating’. We have prepared an exhibition of our work that we would like to share with you. We would like to invite you to bring a traditional dish of food to share during our Exit Point that you have prepared together at home. Please be advised that the dishes cannot contain any nuts or nut traces. A polite reminder that the dish needs to be healthy. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. French Every Monday 8:45-10:00 MB125 Mrs Audrey Barthelemy audrey.barthelemy18@gmail.com   Art Every Friday 8:30-11:00 MB125 Mrs Markovic ksenija.jakic@wellingtoncollege.cn   Mandarin Every Tuesday 10:15-11:15 MB125 Mrs Yuan and Mrs Zhang yizhang001@foxmail.com   EAL (Beginner level) Every Tuesday of Week A 8:30-9:30 MB125 Mr Furse David.Furse@wellingtoncollege.cn   EAL (Advanced level) Every Thursday of Week B 8:30-9:30 MB125 Mr Furse David.Furse@wellingtoncollege.cn   Pilates Every Tuesday 8:45-10:00 Black Box Mrs Stofkova dstofkova@yahoo.com   How to use Chinese daily life Apps Every Tuesday 13:00-14:00 MB113 Mrs Kim donghong0904@naver.com   Pilates Every Friday 8:45-10:00 Black Box Mrs Stofkova dstofkova@yahoo.com   Yoga Every Wednesday 8:45-10:00 Black Box Mrs Havlíková havlikann@gmail.com   Yoga Every Thursday 10:45-12:00 Black Box Mrs Havlíková havlikann@gmail.com   Traditional Chinese Medicine Every Thursday 9:00-10:30 MB113 Mrs Markovic ksenija.jakic@gmail.com   Notice: Any changes of time/date/venue please follow the notice according to the course organiser.

UPCOMING EVENTS   Monday 09 December 2019 All Day Week 16 (B)   9:30AM - 10:30AM Year 2 Exit Point (MF) (Black Box)   8:45AM - 10:00AM FOW: French class (LL) (MB 125)   11:00AM - 12:00PM Senior School assembly (JMS) (Theatre)   4:00PM ISCOT League HS Boys and Girls Basketball vs TEDA (a) (RG)   Tuesday 10 December 2019 8:45AM - 10:00AM FOW: Pilates (LL) (Black Box)   10:15AM - 11:15AM FOW: Mandarin class (LL) (MB 113)   1:00PM - 2:00PM FOW: How to use Chinese daily life apps (LL) (MB 113)   Wednesday 11 December 2019 8:45AM - 10:00AM FOW: Yoga class (LL) (Black Box)   1:15PM - 2:45PM Milepost 3 Exit Point (NC) (Seldon Theatre)   2:30PM - 3:30PM Nest parent briefing: Parenting young children (MM) (Main Building)   3:05PM - 3:45PM Junior School assembly (RA) (Theatre)   4:00PM ISCOT League HS Basketball vs TIS; Boys (h), Girls @ TIS (RG) (Sports Centre)   Thursday 12 December 2019 8:30AM - 9:30AM FOW: English class (advanced level) (LL) (MB 234)   9:00AM - 10:30AM FOW: TCM class (LL)   10:45AM - 12:00PM FOW: Yoga class (LL) (Black Box)   2:00PM - 3:00PM Meet the Master and Bursar: all year groups (ES) (Main Building)   4:00PM ISCOT League MS Volleyball Boys and Girls vs TEDA (a) (RG)   Friday 13 December 2019 8:30AM - 11:00AM FOW: Art class (LL)   8:45AM - 10:00AM FOW: Pilates (LL) (Black Box)   9:30AM - 12:30PM Open Day: Nest (PR) (The Nest)   9:30AM - 10:30PM Year 1 Exit Point (MF) (Classrooms)   1:00PM Junior School Christmas show (AD) (Theatre)   3:00PM - 5:00PM Christmas market (PR) (Dining Hall)   Saturday 14 December 2019 9:00AM Saturday Activity Programme (SAP) (EvK)